The compassionate use of marijuana for palliative purposes was legalized in New Jersey even before Chris Christie occupied the State House. But as Governor, he does not have the power to choose which laws to obey – he is obligated to execute the laws that he agrees with and those with which he disagrees.

Today, the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey held a press conference urging the governor and lawmakers to carry out the law which the Governor has stonewalled ever since he took office. Every day that the Governor delays is another day of suffering and inconvenience for some very sick people.

The videos below are interviews and comments with Ken Wolski, Executive Director, and Jay Lassiter, Media Director of the Coalition. Also, below the fold, some brief comments from Democratic Assemblyman Reed Gusciora are presented.

Compassionate medication should not know political boundaries, and indeed, one of the proponents of the use of medical marijuana is Republican Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll. He was unable to attend today’s press conference, but he issued the following statement:

My philosophy on New Jersey’s medical marijuana law is that we should be empowering doctors to treat their patients as they see fit, and not have lawyers or bureaucrats standing in the way. That’s why I’m frustrated at the State’s implementation of this law, which smacks of big government overreach.

Today, Garden State Equality announced that after 8½ years at the helm, Steven Goldstein will be moving on to another opportunity. Earlier today, I sat down with Steven and his successor, Troy Stevenson, for an exclusive interview to discuss the status of LGBT activities in New Jersey.

To say that Vice President Joe Biden’s recent comments on Meet the Press “rippled the waters” of the marriage equality debate puts it mildly. In fact, by speaking his mind — like only he can –Biden has thrust the issue into the Presidential Campaign fray, creating a bit of a media circus in the process.

A Blue Jersey commenter has repeatedly written what I consider insulting remarks about residents of South Jersey and Mississippi. I want to believe that his comments were not meant to be insulting, but nevertheless, that’s how I interpret them. There are many fine and decent people both in South Jersey and in the Magnolia State who don’t deserve such disparaging remarks, regardless of their political affiliation.

I love New Jersey. I live in South Jersey, used to live in Central Jersey, and have close relatives whom I frequently visit in North Jersey. The state offers a tremendous amount of diversity – not only in its residents, but in what it has to offer. Most people I know from out of state envision the Garden State the way it is portrayed in the opening scenes of The Sopranos – a series of dirty highways littered by oil refineries and crumbling infrastructure and nice homes occupied by crooks and thieves. But anyone who has lived here knows we’re more than that.

So I decided to have some fun with our commenter’s proposition. What would happen if he had his way?

That’s the Jewish blessing of thanks that is said on special occasions, and the message that Steven Goldstein, Chair of Garden State Equality, sent to his co-religionist opponents of marriage equality at a press conference this afternoon in Trenton.

It was a joyous occasion, after several hours of “debate” in the Assembly chamber – dominated by supporters of marriage equality with their touching stories of family, civil rights, and equality – peppered with contrived rationalization of the status quo from marriage discrimination proponents.

Whether you give thanks with the Jewish prayer, or in some other way, today was an historic day for New Jersey, affirming the tenets of our Constitution.

In the end, the vote was 42-33. We’ll post some of the amazing floor speeches later, but here’s the press conference: